Baba Ghanoush ~ Eggplant Dip

Delicious and easy to make



3 medium eggplants (charred like roasting chili)
1/2 cup tahini paste
1 1/4 tsp course salt (I used Kosher and needed to add 1/4 -1/2 tsp more)
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
1/8 tsp chile powder
1 tbsp olive oil
a half bunch picked flat-leaf parsley or cilantro leaves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prick eggplants a few times and char the outside of the eggplants uniformly (like roasting chili) directly on a gas burner, under your broiler or on the grill as I did.  This step can be skipped and go right to the next step, but I think it improves the flavor of the dip.

After charring (or not) place eggplants on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes until they're completely soft.  You would be able to poke them easily with a knife and go through like a sweet potato; close.  :)

Remove from your oven and let cool.  Of course the roasting step in your oven can be done on your grill with indirect heat, setting the same temp and one burner off placing eggplants in the middle over the burn that isn't on, for indirect baking.

Once cooled split eggplant and scrape out all the pulp and puree the pulp in a blender or food processor with the other ingredients until smooth.

Taste and season with addition salt and lemon juice, if needed.  Serve drizzled with olive oil and herbs.

This can be made and refrigerated up to five days in advance.  I looked at a number of Baba Ghanoush recipes and I liked this the best - though there were many versions of the same or slightly different.  This dip is found here - David Lebovitz has a wonderful blog with many wonderful looking recipes to try.

Serve it up with naan, pita bread toasted or not, flat or crackle bread or sliced baguette.